Mah Jong

Let's start my saying that no one is possitive about the history of Mah Jong before 1920. You can read seven different books and each book will haven different stories before 1920. After 1920, the history is "set in stone". So, below is the "story" that talks about how Confusious created Mah Jong and remember that it may not be true but that is just the story that I like the best and decided to use it. I will try to post the history of Mah Jong after 1920 later.

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Confucius the great Chinese philosopher had developed the game about 500 BC. The appearance of the game in various Chinese provinces coincides with Confucius' travels at the time he was teaching his new doctrines. The three "Cardinal" tiles also coincide with the three Cardinal virtues taught by Confucius. Chung (middle) the Red, Fa (prosperity) the Green, Po (white) the white, Benevolence, Sincerity, and Filial Piety. Confucius was said to be fond of birds, which would explain the name Mah Jong (Hemp Bird).

Terms used in the play of the game "Pung," "Chow," and "Kong" also add support to this theory. Confucius was of the Kong family his full name being Kong-Fu-Tze, he married a girl named Che and adopted the term "Chee" meaning 'to connect' which occidentals corrupted into "Chow".

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